Organic matter is one of the key factors with a direct impact on the soil fertility. The lack of availability of organic matter and its lack in the soil represent a current pan-European problem. Organic matter in soil plays an unmistakable role in formation of soil and improvement of the physical properties, such as soil water retention, bulk density, soil aggregation capacity, water and air mode of soil, etc. This article discusses the evaluation of influence of compost and compost with Lignohumax applied in the treated strip on changes of selected physical properties of soils. The experiments started in 2017 at two experimental sites in Lednice and Velké Bílovice (Czech Republic). The physical state of the soil was determined by using "Kopecky physical cylinders", the soil structure, moisture and penetrometer resistance were evaluated as well. The obtained results show that the bulk density reduced at both sites ranged from 1.38-1.49 g•cm-3 , the total porosity ranged from 44.09-48.25 % and the water content and aeration of the soil were roughly at the same level. The structure of the soil evaluated according to the structural coefficient was found at Lednice at the beginning of the vegetation 0.71, at the end of the vegetation, after the compost incorporation the values were higher for the variants with the prepared compost (1.38-1.44). At the site of Velké Bílovice the initial values were 0.87 and for the fertilized variants the coefficient increased to 1.99. In addition, the water conditions were better for the fertilized variants at the Lednice station and reached the level of 16.24-17.05 % by weight, while at the site of Velké Bílovice they reached the level 19.46-23.02 % by weight. The penetrometric resistance values did not exceed critical limits for the fertilized variants. In the framework of sustainability, viticulture will address issues related to soil fertility in the upcoming period. Greater attention therefore has to be paid to the replacement of traditional fertilizers, such as manure, by the new fertilizers in the form of compost or digestate.

In the context of sustainability, viticulture will address issues related to soil fertility in the coming period. Greater attention will therefore be paid to replacing traditional manure-based fertilisers, such as farmyard manure, with new types of fertiliser in the form of composts, digestate, etc. Experience to date suggests that good-quality composts are not only a source of nutrients that the vines take from the soil each year, but also a source of organic matter. The application of compost and its subsequent decomposition in the soil profile can have a positive effect on the growth of the roots and above-ground parts of the vine. However, optimising the effects and action of compost is linked to determining the necessary doses and methods of application. The aim of this three-year study was to provide an overview of the results aimed at evaluating the effects of the application of compost (CO) and compost enriched with the addition of lignohumate (CO+L20), at a rate of 30 t·ha−1, in the areas around vineyard tree trunks on selected soil chemical properties and the vegetative growth of the vine (Vitis vinifera L.). The unfertilised variant (CWC) was used as a control. Each variant was established in three replicates that were 20 m long. Experimental measurements and evaluation were carried out in the period of 2018–2020 on two sites with different soil conditions (Lednice and Velké Bílovice) and two different grape varieties (Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris). Meteorological data were continuously monitored during the period under review. Chemical properties of the soil samples of the three experimental variants were determined (e.g., content of organic carbon, humic acids, humic substances, humification rate, etc.). The evaluations that were carried out confirmed that the addition of organic matter in the form of composts to the soil in the CO and CO+L20 variants positively influenced the quality of organic matter. The organic carbon content increased by 56–139% in variants with deep compost application (CO, CO+L20) during the monitored period compared to the CWC, depending on the location. Similarly, the degree of humification increased by 70–84%, and the soil microbial biomass increased by 38–136% in the treated variants compared to the CWC. In addition to the dynamics of the changes in the chemical properties, the aim of the performed measurements was to evaluate the rate of the growth shoots, which was linked to the fertilizing effects of the applied compost in the experimental vineyard. At the site in Velké Bílovice, the total difference in the length of the shoots was higher in the CO by 2.6–4.6% and in the CO+L20 by 7.5–12.5% compared to the CWC. At the site in Lednice, the situation was similar, and the total difference in the length of the shoots was higher in the CO by 4.6–7.2% and in the CO+L20 by 5.3–13.2%. The results that were obtained may constitute an important basis for the management of organic fertilization on plots with different soil conditions and cultivated varieties in order to optimize the vegetative growth of the vine.

This study evaluated the physical properties and oil extraction from grape seeds from three white (Welschriesling, Green Veltliner, Hibernal) and two red (Zweigelt and Saint Laurent) must varieties of grapevine by cold screw pressing as the appropriate extraction process. Pressing was carried out by a screw press UNO FM 3F by Farmet Company, Czech Republic. The pressing device consists of a matrix, 220 mm screw, head, heating mantle, nozzle holder, and a nozzle of 10 mm in diameter. The minimal and maximal screw rotation speeds were chosen within the press characteristics in order to achieve a correct expression and to avoid press overload. For successful pressing of the seeds and their storage, their initial moisture content was lowered from 40 to 45% to about 5 to 8% in a chamber dryer. The temperature in the chamber dryer did not exceeded 40 °C. Seeds of all varieties were pressed at the same speeds of 20, 40, 60, and 80 rpm. The characteristics of the grape seeds are as follows: The density ranges from 602.7 to 606.3 kg.m -3 , thousand seeds weigh is between 21.9 -26.6 g, humidity between 5.6 -7.1% of dry matter and seed oil content, determined by extraction and depending on the variety, ranges from 15.3 to 17.5% in dry basis. The results have confirmed that when the screw rotation speed is changed from 20 to 80 rpm, the press capacity increases on average from 0.84 kg.h -1 to 1.75 kg.h -1 , but simultaneously the oil yield reduces from 9.85 to 6.75%. This means that one kilogram of seed may produce 67.5 to 98.5 g of oil. The quantity of the pressed oil ranges from 67.5 to 98.5 g.kg -1 and thus depends on the variety. The measured results can be used in commercial practice for optimizing the pressing process for pressing of oil from grape seeds.

Addressing the issues arising from the production and trade of low-quality foods necessitates developing new quality control methods. Cooking oils, especially those produced from the grape seeds, are an example of food products that often suffer from questionable quality due to various adulterations and low-quality fruits used for their production. Among many methods allowing for fast and efficient food quality control, the combination of experimental and advanced mathematical approaches seems most reliable. In this work a method for grape seed oils compositional characterization based on the infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and fatty acids profile is reported. Also, the relevant parameters of oils are characterized using a combination of standard techniques such as the Principal Component Analysis, k-Means, and Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) fitting parameters. Two different approaches to perform unsupervised clustering using GMM were investigated. The first approach relies on the profile of fatty acids, while the second is FT-IR spectroscopy-based. The GMM fitting parameters in both approaches were compared. The results obtained from both approaches are consistent and complementary and provide the tools to address the characterization and clustering issues in grape seed oils.

Modern wine technologies aim for selecting and optimizing the applied technological procedures, including the technical reinsurance of individual operations. One of the key operations, within the wine industry, with a direct impact on the quality of the produced wine is the process of grape pressing. The purpose of pressing is to separate the mold from the processed product by using pressure. The pressing efficiency, exerted by molding, is influenced by the particular type of the pressing device, the varietal properties affecting the consistency of the molded material, the pre-compaction process (crushing, maceration), the thickness of the mold and the number of the pressing cycles. This paper focuses on evaluation of the mechanical horizontal press WOTTLE RS 800 and the pneumatic press ŠKRLJ PST 80, with a volume of 800 litres pressing bins, that were evaluated during the period 2015-2017, while pressing the Sauvignon Blanc and Zweigeltrebe grape varieties. During the evaluation, the main focus was on monitoring the process of pressing, the change of the pressing pressure and its maximum achieved value, the average molding and the performance of the pressers. The results obtained show that, when pressing grapes by a mechanical press, the maximum pressure values are 0.51 MPa while the molding is in the range of 0.748-0.858 depending on the variety. For the pneumatic press, the maximum pressing pressure was 0.15 MPa and the mold variation was between 0.803-0.865. The mechanical press performance of the Sauvignon Blanc variety was 268 l•h-1 , 445 l•h-1 for the pneumatic press. For the Zweigeltrebe variety, the performance of the mechanical press varied at 715 l•h-1 and of the pneumatic press at 713 l•h-1. The results of the evaluation illustrate the differences arising from the used press and have practical use in wine-making practice and in designing the technological equipment of the wine-growing operations. At the same time, they can serve as inputs when calculating wine production costs.